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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · present · wax · snap · net · craft · fine · plane

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. plane — a tool
  3. net — in sport
  4. present — there
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. net — for catching
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. net — after costs
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wound — an injury
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. present — a gift
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. present — the time now
  23. snap — to click
  24. wax — to grow

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com